The Federal Election Campaign Act (located at 52 U.S.C. §30101) is a federal statute that puts limits on campaign contributions to candidates for President of the United States and Congress (the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate). It requires candidates to report all the money their campaigns receive and spend.

Most individuals can donate up to $2,800 per candidate, per election. This means a person can donate up to $2,800 to each of one or more candidates in a federal primary election and in a federal general election. This law also requires candidates in federal elections to report the payee and amount of each campaign expenditure. And a campaign may not accept more than $100 in cash from a particular source with respect to any campaign for nomination for or election to federal office.

Similarly, state laws place limits on campaign contributions and require candidates for elective office to report the contributions they receive and the expenditures they make while seeking public office. These laws are usually located in a state’s statutes—often in the elections code.

In New Jersey, the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) applies to candidates for federal offices, such as President, U.S. Senate, and the U.S. House of Representatives. Under FECA, individuals are generally allowed to contribute up to $2,800 per candidate, per election cycle, which includes both primary and general elections. This means a person may donate up to $2,800 for a candidate's primary campaign and another $2,800 for their general campaign. Federal candidates must report all contributions received and expenditures made to the Federal Election Commission (FEC). Cash contributions are limited to $100 from any single source per campaign. New Jersey also has its own state laws governing campaign finance for state and local elections. These laws set contribution limits, require reporting of contributions and expenditures, and are typically found in the state's election statutes. Candidates for state and local offices must adhere to these regulations, which are enforced by the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC).